The Strongest Man Alive

I have a goal... 

 To seek victory against my mentality as the best swordsman in this world. To achieve this objectives, fame is one of the aspects required and, of course, fighting. I was born in this world as an orphan, influenced by heroes around me, so I wanted to be the same. Living normally is bad. I want to be different from normal. Away from the simulations. Following my path. I will become the best of the best. 

     "What do you want to be when you grow up?" 

 I already know the answer to that question. "I want to be a doctor." That's Dave. Nerdy kid who doesn't have a future. "I want to help sick people to make them well again." A simple goal but good intention. 

     "I want to explore the world." That's Sofie. She's the kindest kid ever. Softhearted and clumsy little girl. "I want to study other religions and traditions from other countries. I want to experience the whole world and I can become free." Those high ambitions will lead to nothing.

This is the first step to getting famous. I do not have to say the answer till the very end, so I can have the spotlight at the end. Calculations have been made. If you're the first to answer, you'll get forgotten. If in the middle, someone will top your answer with a better answer. If last to answer, everyone would not pay attention, since they already stated their answers, but if I did something different... Everyone will pay attention. If the answer is different from normal, it will stay in people's memory. The success rate of being famous is 100%.

I'm sensing my surroundings to know which kid have and haven't given their answers yet and now that everyone is done, it's time for me to shine. I confidently walk to the chair and stand on top of it. Looking down at others like peasants and... "I will become the Best Swordsman in the World. I will become One of the Gods." As I finished my answer, I'm confident that everyone will remember me and I'm gonna be famous...

"HA! HA! HA!" Everyone is laughing. As I looked across the room, everyone was laughing. None of them take me seriously. Even the teacher is embarrassed by my answer. With those faces, I can read her thoughts on the inside. My confidence is fading. As I looked elsewhere I saw Sofie wasn't laughing... I can tell by her face that she's amazed. Well then... I will never give up. Let them laugh, I will remain in my pose. I will remain confident. As long as there's someone who believes, never lose hope.

A sudden shaking occurred in the orphanage. Buildings are collapsing. At the window, we see the heroes fighting the horde of demons.

     "Get the children out of here, it's just a matter of time till this building collapses." I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a knife to fight back. The ceiling started to break. I ran back to the group and I didn't see Sofie. I had to find her by searching all the rooms of the building. A demon pinned her into the corner of the room. I quickly engage the demon and stab it at the back. Got its attention. I'm still young and weak but I have to stall time for Sofie to escape.

I duel the demon, blocking his attacks with a knife. I see its face shocked by my movements. Never learned nor wielded any weapons in my life. Just watched heroes and learned from them. By the reaction of this demon, I have the potential to become a hero. So I charge to the demon for the attack. It swings its arm faster than me... Its claws are gonna kill me... I'm not faster than that... I'm gonna die... 

*Push

Sofie pushed me away. I saw with my own eyes how the demon killed Sofie. I forgot about this aspect of becoming the best swordsman, which is not only being famous and being best in fighting, but also the uncertainty of what's gonna happen next. I froze in shock. The teacher grabbed me and ran. A fireball comes to the window in the speed of light and the orphanage explodes.

With a strong resilience I have, I withstand being unconscious. But what I saw is more terrifying. All of the other kids and elderly people are dead under the rubble. I'm in the middle of the battlefield, yet I don't feel scared or any emotion. The heroes fighting behind me and the deaths of my family in front. I wished I was unconscious. I wish I was dead...

The next day after the attack, I ran far away. I sneakily boarded a ship. I want to escape the madness that occurred. Few days have passed, the ship landed and I found myself in new territory. I was caught immediately by the soldiers. Having no resilience, they are going to put me in jail until...

"Wait, leave this kid to me." A guy who looks different from the other soldiers. Maybe the higher ups. He dragged me somewhere else. In an empty room. Me and him across the table. "You looked like you've been through hell." This guy saw through me. "No will to live, seeing you're loved one die in front of you. Are you gonna let them down?" He knows it all, his grinning like he's right about me.

     "No"

Why did I answer?

     "I see through you. You're strong, don't mourn and not afraid of death. It's either you go to prison or be my apprentice." I choose to go to prison. I have no reason to live.

     "You have potential. People who see hell are the ones who are qualified to be a swordsman." Potential? I realized that I had a goal. This is the start of my journey. I'll become the best swordsman there is. Without any hesitation, I accepted his offer. I will not let the deaths of my family be left in vain. I'll train and be a hero.

Two years had passed and I left the country without saying anything back to my teacher, Shun. I want to go back to my country with a goal in mind. Kill the demons.

Calculations have been made. Everyone has their spawnpoint. It is where that person goes back to every time. The way it happened before, demons attacked our village without being alerted. Which indicates that their spawnpoint is near our village. Demons are the same as humans, they need shelter. Creating a homeland near a human village ain't possible since it'll draw people's attention and get their location revealed. It indicates that they lived in a naturally formed habitat like caves. Why do they stay there and attack our village? We humans might have something they want. They can also move places, so it will be harder to find. But maybe they have something they can't move, so they do it near humans so they can get resources fast. The success rate of finding their spawnpoint is 50%.

After the ship landed, I went into the mountains to find their spawnpoint. My teacher taught me many things.

     "You're learning very fast. You can adapt from what you see me do. You have a photographic memory in which you remember everything by basically seeing it. And adapting perfectly is talent. You're fast, focused and clever. You surpass soldiers within a week of training. Doing sorcery without encantation makes you different. You are a prodigy."

His words stick to my head. My ego is getting high with all of those phrases. I studied all forms of fighting, every weapon existed and read all the books about fighting. Swords, physical, ranged and sorcery battles I all mastered in the span of two years. And being called a prodigy is the best.

I found a cave and I sensed the demons. I entered and drew fire into my hand for lighting. As I walked into the darkness, a silhouette of a huge heart appeared in front of me and the demons attacked me. With a quick draw of my sword in the dark. I killed every demon in an instant. I slice the heart in half and it stops beating. A demon in a figure of a woman attacked me in full speed. I stopped her attack and grabbed her by the neck.

"You... can't stop... what's coming." such a word for her final words. I choked her to death. The heart stopped beating, so no need to worry. I'm best in fighting and I know how to lose someone close to me. The only thing left is being famous. I killed every demon out of rage that there were no people to witness my greatness. Maybe the next big threat can give me the credit I need.

*Cough*

"What is this?" A terrifying sight I saw in my hands after I coughed.

"Blood?"